Employee Probation Letter

A probation period letter template is an official notice by which employers communicate their decision about passing, failing or extending an ongoing probation period with employees in Australia. This template has a simple structure, covers all core elements and is designed to align with the Fair Work Act 2009 and National Employment Standards.

A standard end of probation letter template outlines the employee’s full name, job title, details of the probation period and the employer’s decision to extend, terminate or confirm employment. The document shall be used alongside the employer’s internal corporate policies, including the Employee Handbook.

When do you need this employee probation letter template?

A professionally drafted and compliant employee probation letter template can be helpful in the following situations:

• to confirm successful completion of the probation period and further employment with the organisation;
• to extend the probation period due to performance issues, changes in the organisation’s internal processes, the employee’s sick leave, etc.;
• to communicate the termination of the employment contract due to the unsuccessful passing of the probation period.

This letter template cannot be used to terminate ongoing employment outside the probation context. In such cases, an employee termination letter should be used instead. If the business or employer wants to address the employee’s misconduct or poor performance at the workplace, a warning letter template should be used.

What should be covered in the employee probation letter template?

Australian laws do not prescribe a strict format for the end of probation letter template. A standard document shall include:

Employer and Employee Details

The letter should clearly outline identification details of the employer, including full legal name, registered business address and ACN/ABN number. For the employee, it is important to indicate their full name, contact mailing address, job title and date of the ongoing employment agreement.

Outcome of the Probation

The letter can be customised for three different purposes:

• Extension Probation Letter Template. This is when the employer needs more time to evaluate the employee’s performance. The new end date for the probation period should be included in the text of the letter.
• Failed Probation Letter Template. For this type of letter, the employer should outline in brief the reasons for the termination, as well as the last date of the employment. Usually it is the last date of the probation period.
• Passing Probation Letter Template. If the employer is satisfied with the employee’s performance during the probation period, the employee is being offered permanent employment. In this case all the rest of the provisions of the ongoing employment contract remain unchanged. In some cases the employee may be required to sign additional documentation such as confidentiality or non-compete agreements.

Sign & Date

Once the document is ready, it should be dated and signed by the employer. If the employer is a business or company, in that case the letter shall be signed by the HR manager or the company’s director. The letter should be sent to the last known mailing address of the employee provided in the text of the original employment contract. Additionally, the copy of the letter can also be sent to the employee’s work email or delivered in person.

Top 3 Legal Tips for an Australian End of Probation Period Letter Template

Employers in Australia should keep in mind these essential rules when drafting this probation letter template:

Compliance with the Fair Work Act

All employment-related documents in Australia, including employment contracts, corporate policies, letters and notices, should be drafted in strict compliance with the Fair Work Act 2009 and the National Employment Standards. In practice it means that the employer cannot treat their employees less favourably than required by Australian laws.

While these laws do not provide any minimum or maximum period for the probation period, a standard probation period in Australia shall not exceed 6 months for businesses with at least 15 employees and 12 months for businesses with fewer than 15 employees.

Compliance with Internal Policies

The termination or probation period extension letter template should also comply with the provisions of modern awards or enterprise agreements. It is always important to ensure that termination or extension of the probation period aligns with the grounds for such termination and extension provided in the organisation’s internal policies.

Fair Work Ombudsman

In case a termination letter template probation period is created, the employer should inform the employee about their right to contact the Fair Work Ombudsman if the employee wants to raise a complaint or have concerns regarding the outcome of the letter.

How to customise this employee probation letter template with FasterDraft?

To get a fully customisable template, follow a few easy steps below:

1. Click the “Create Document” button.
2. Answer simple questions in the form.
3. Select a template’s format – PDF or ord.
4. E-sign the document online.
5. Make a payment.

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